What If
by luci-the-moose
Summary: What if Haytham had been there the day Connor's village had been attacked, what if he had saved Ziio and had a chance to raise Connor, would it have changed how the father and son's future would have been for the better or worse?


**What If Ch.1**

Haytham thought after that first night in the cave there would be more days and nights like that to come but instead it was to be the last time he would ever see her for a very long time. He had woken up alone, Ziio having stolen away in night. Haytham had redressed slowly and tried to ignore the stabbing in his heart as he left the site, empty handed and trying to gather himself.

It was for the best, he had finally reasoned with himself so many times after that night. He was the Templar grand master, he couldn't afford to get tied down to her. He knew he would not be able to devote time to a relationship anyways and his men needed him more and she needed to be with her people.

He told himself this for many nights until slowly as years passed. He soon managed to forget about her, sometimes she would invade his thoughts but he simply throw himself into work and forget.

He was so sure he would never see her again. But fate is a funny thing.

**Ooo**

Ratonhnhaké:ton ran through the forest, searching for a good hiding spot from the other children. He buried himself under a pile of brush and pulled his knees to his chest, he grinned as he waited. Though not even a minute into hiding he felt hands on him, pulling him roughly from the brush and throwing him down. Dazed and frighten Ratonhnhaké:ton looked up to see the barrel of a gun peering down at him, "What do we have here?" asked the man who held the rifle. Ratonhnhaké:ton leaped to his feet, taking off but not getting far before having another of the men trip him, he skittered to the ground, landing painfully first on his knees and then face, laying on his stomach till the man who tripped him turned him over.

"You look...familiar...Where have I seen you before?" The man mused and Ratonhnhaké:ton glared up at him, spiting up into his face angrily.

"That wasn't very nice." The man growled before grabbing him and dragging him to a tree. Ratonhnhaké:ton the whole time squirming and trying to get free before he was then lifted off the ground and the man's hands tightly gripped around the boy's throat. Ratonhnhaké:ton gasped for air.

Ratonhnhaké:ton listened to man spit venom at him, calling his people animals, snarling hate as he increased his grip more and more, he scratched weakly at his hands, wanting to get away, to cry for help.

Just as he felt as if his lungs would burst a new man arrived. "Charles leave the child alone, he has nothing to give us and you have nothing to gain from killing him, I'll handle him, get our gear and men to the next town, I'll be there soon." The man said with authority. The man, Charles, released Ratonhnhaké:ton, letting him fall to the ground and gasping for air, "It seems luck is on your side today boy, be grateful." Charles grumbled before turning away from him.

Ratonhnhaké:ton glared after his fleeting form before flinching away as the man who had ordered Charles to leave him alone crouched down to peer at him. "Get..away." Ratonhnhaké:ton rasped weakly, meeting the man's gaze and to his wonder the man's look changed, from one of annoyance to shock. "It can't be...no…" The man murmured still seeming to mentally reel and Ratonhnhaké:ton stared at him curiously before the man shook his head. "Do you know a woman named Ziio?" The man asked quickly and Ratonhnhaké:ton stared at him confused before remembering that was one of the nicknames his mother told him she had when people couldn't pronounce her name.

"How do you know mother?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked confused and the man just stared at him with a look of someone who had seen a ghost, Ratonhnhaké:ton increasingly grew more uncomfortable with how the man was looking at him but flinched away as the man reached for him, the man pulled his hand away and coughed, looking nervous which seemed to be a foreign look on the man's face.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners, I'm Haytham Kenway, I was a friend of your mother's a very long time ago, I have not seen her in a long time, would you..perhaps take me to see her?" He asked slowly and Ratonhnhaké:ton paused. After being thrown around and almost killed he was still a bit nervous but the man had saved him and he knew his mother...

He nodded and stood, "I am Ratonhnhaké:ton, follow me." Ratonhnhaké:ton said leading Haytham down a dirt path. Though as they neared the village Ratonhnhaké:ton froze, fire licked at the wooden walls and he heard screams. "Ista!" he yelled sprinting away from Haytham who he heard faintly yell after him, he dashed through the village trying to reach his hut as wood came crumbling down around him, smoke clouding his vision and making it hard to breath as he pressed on.

"Ista!" Ratonhnhaké:ton screamed until he found her, trapped under some burning wreckage, "Get out of her Ratonhnhaké:ton, it is not safe, go!" Kaniehtí:io yelled as Ratonhnhaké:ton attempted to lift up the wreckage, fear seizing them both as the structure groaned. Ratonhnhaké:ton was not going to leave but he was scared, he couldn't lift it and there was no one to help him, his mother was going to die!

Though suddenly the wreckage lifted and he looked up to see Haytham throwing the burnt logs away, pulling Kaniehtí:io from the burning wood. He picked her up and motioned for Ratonhnhaké:ton to follow as they fled the burning hut, just in time too as it came crashing to the ground a minute later in a fiery heap.

Ratonhnhaké:ton fell to his knees quaking, shaking with terror, though he snapped out of it when a pair of strong arms wrapped around him and lifted him up. "Close your eyes now child, rest." Haytham murmured and Ratonhnhaké:ton soon passed out from exhaustion and fear.

**Ooo**

Ratonhnhaké:ton awoke slowly, sitting up slowly as the day before memories came to him, he leaped to his feet and dashed outside the small hut he had been placed in, looking around he saw that his people were slowly rebuilding, clearing away the burnt wood. He wandered a bit further till he spotted Haytham, it wasn't to hard to find him, he stood out in his officer uniform and strange hat.

"Haytham!" Ratonhnhaké:ton yelled as he barreled into the surprised man, arms wrapping around the man. "Do you know where Ista is? Is she ok?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked in a rush, he couldn't remember what had happened after they had got her out of the burning hut. Haytham was surprised but bent over to pat the young boy on the shoulders.

"She is safe but sleeping, I was just coming to check up on you actually, how are you feeling?" Haytham asked as he inspected Ratonhnhaké:ton, the boy sighed in relief, "I'm ok, I just wanted to make Ista was safe first." Ratonhnhaké:ton said as hugged the man, he was relieved he was so sure he was going to lose his mother and now she was safe because of the strange man.

Haytham stood there, unsure what to do, while Ratonhnhaké:ton had been out he had come to confirm that yes, Ratonhnhaké:ton was his son, he was four years old (and quite big for a four year old too he noted). He had been unsure what to do, he had once dreamed of settling down with Ziio, having children but after she disappeared he put that dream aside, realizing it was never meant to happen.

But here he was now, a son, hugging him for comfort and he had saved the one woman he had ever loved, he wrapped his arms around the boy, tugging him close and burying his face into the boy's hair, "It's alright lad, you're safe, I have you, your mother is safe." Haytham said soothingly.

Ratonhnhaké:ton felt safe, this man made him think of what a father might be like, often having to watch as the other boys in the village were taught by their fathers how to hunt and fight. While Kaniehtí:io was just as good as any of them and a great teacher it was still different. "I want to see Ista." Ratonhnhaké:ton said, pulling away from the Brit.

Haytham paused but nodded, he led Ratonhnhaké:ton to the hut he had left Ziio in when he had come to find Ratonhnhaké:ton. A few healers were still inside, watching and tending to Ziio, though when the duo arrived they quietly got up and left, giving Haytham wary looks as they went. Ratonhnhaké:ton rushed to Kaniehtí:io side, who was now slowly waking up, Haytham watched as they spoke in their native tongue, Kaniehtí:io gathering Ratonhnhaké:ton close and hugging, though she seemed to be scolding him and the boy merely clung to her, muttering in their native tongue. She finally paused, looking over at Haytham as he held Ratonhnhaké:ton .

He froze, unsure what to do, he felt out of place, she murmured something to Ratonhnhaké:ton and made a shooing motion, Ratonhnhaké:ton slowly pulled away but then nodded making his way out the tent but not before giving Haytham one last parting look.

"What are you doing here?"

Ziio's voice broke the silence after a few tense minutes.

"I was in the area, I had not realized how close I was to your home-lands but I guess in the end it was a good thing." Haytham said truthfully, Ziio's gaze swept over him, her eyes judging to see if he was lying.

"I wish you had told me." Haytham murmured quietly and Ziio frowned, "About what?" She questioned and it was Haytham's turn to frown.

"About the boy of course, how come you did not tell me I had a son?"

"I believed you would not want him with how busy you are, why do you think I left, I knew you would have no time for me after our time was up." Ziio explained and Haytham opened his mouth to protest but shut it.

He knew that was true...but that didn't mean he wanted to admit it.

"I still would have liked to know…"

The two didn't say anything for a minute, letting the silence settle over them.

"Do you want me to tell him?" Ziio asked quietly and Haytham looked surprised, he had been waiting for the Indian woman to wish him away, "I would think you would not want him to know." Haytham admitted slowly and Ziio sighed before offering the Brit a soft smile, "I bear no grudge to you, I left because I knew it could probably never work, I had not anticipated the pregnancy and I was not angry when I decided to never let you know but if you want, I will tell our son who you are or you can go, leaving just as you came, a mysterious helpful figure."

Haytham walked over to Ziio, kneeling beside where she laid, taking her hand, "I would very much like our son to know who I am."

Ziio smiled, "Then go find him so I can tell him."

Haytham nodded, pausing to kiss Ziio's knuckles before standing and leaving to find the boy.

**Ooo**

It was not hard to find Ratonhnhaké:ton, the boy was busy helping clear away some of the burnt wood, it seemed the older men had decided that since Ratonhnhaké:ton was bigger then the other four year olds that they would set him to help, though the boy paused in his work when he saw Haytham approaching.

"Your mother would like to speak to you lad." Haytham said and Ratonhnhaké:ton looked nervous, "What's wrong?" Haytham asked confused, "I already said sorry for not leaving when she told me too, is she going to scold me more?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked, fidgeting.

Haytham blinked and then couldn't help but chuckle, ruffling the boy's hair. "No, I don't think so lad but you deserved that scolding...your life is...precious..." Haytham trailed off for a moment before swallowing and motioning for the boy to follow, "Now come, your mother is waiting, she wishes to tell you something." Haytham said briskly as he turned to walk back to Ziio.

But he froze when he felt Ratonhnhaké:ton grab his hand, he looked down at their joined hands. It hit Haytham how small and young his son truly was. The boy may be bigger then the other children or taller then most his age but compared to a grown man he was small. His hand was engulfed by Haythams' and the top of his head barely reached below his waist.

His temper flared when he thought of his small son being strangled by Charles as he had.

"Is this ok? Ratonhnhaké:ton voice broke through Haytham's thought, the man berated himself for getting distracted, he would have to speak to Charles later about his horrid behavior. "Um...yes. Yes it quite alright now let's hurry to your mother." Haytham promoted, the walk back to Ziio's hut a slower journey seeing as Haytham had to shorten his steps for Ratonhnhaké:ton.

Once they arrive Ratonhnhaké:ton went over to his mother, sitting down next to her. She looked over at Haytham, her eyes saying it wasn't too late if Haytham would still prefer to leave. Haytham shook his head and Ziio pulled Ratonhnhaké:ton closer, "You have often wondered who your father was Ratonhnhaké:ton and today you meet him, the man who saved us, Haytham, is your father." Ziio said in English and Ratonhnhaké:ton looked over at aforementioned Brit in wonderment.

"You're my father?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked, uncertain and Haytham nodded, a bit unsure of what to do. "How come you've been gone so long?"

Both adults paused.

What were they to tell their son?

Luckily for Haytham, Ziio was quicker.

"Four years ago when we meant we had not counted on having a child and your father was busy so I decided not to tell him, I left and had you here...are you angry with me for not bringing you to your father?" Ziio asked calmly and Haytham was surprised. He thought maybe Ziio would have lied but instead she told him the truth, albeit a highly condensed truth but the truth none the less.

Ratonhnhaké:ton looked between the two, "No. Father was busy, I understand, he's here to stay now though...right?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked, looking at his father imploringly, Ziio also giving him a look.

Haytham paused. Well he couldn't very much just run off now, he had a son. He had his moment to run and he didn't. But how would he manage to stay with his son and run the Templar order….

He looked down at Ratonhnhaké:ton, the boy looked so damn hopeful.

"Of course I'm here to stay."

The order could survive a few days without him, it's not as if he had any pressing business to attend to right this instant.

Ratonhnhaké:ton grinned and jumped from his seat to barrel into Haytham who had to use every once of his being not to be knocked down by the four year old. Instead he scooped up the boy who eagerly wrapped his arms around Haytham's neck.

Ziio watched the two. She was happy, she had been uncertain when Haytham had gone away to find Ratonhnhaké:ton, wondering if she just should have told him to leave her son and herself in peace but seeing how Haytham held and lovingly hugged the boy assuaged her fears.

She just wondered now if what Haytham said was true, if he truly would stay.

**Ooo**

**I finished AC3 recently and I needed happy family Kenway feels so here, enjoy the product of my need for happy Kenways**

**I own nothing in AC3 **


End file.
